Our experts have developed Piston Rod Selector to help you compare how different steel grades used in piston applications will resist buckling. This is important because hydraulic cylinders are usually subjected to compressive axial loads that cause them to fail by buckling.
Selecting a higher strength steel such as our Cromax® bars and tubes will give better resistance to buckling. And also opens up new possibilities to downsize piston rods to help reduce both weight and cost. With Piston Rod Selector you can see exactly what difference it can make, as the tool enables you to compare Cromax steel grades with the most commonly used standard grades for piston rods.
You can decide to use the diameter of an existing rod as the input to calculate what diameter would be required with an alternative steel grade to achieve the same safety factor. Alternatively, you can use your maximum load and desired safety factor to calculate the minimum rod diameter for different steel grades.
The list of alternative materials is extensive. But if the material you are interested in is not available in the list, you can still input its relevant mechanical properties manually.
